Modifier 26 vs Modifier TC
Modifier 26 reports the professional component of a diagnostic service. Modifier TC reports the technical component. Together they equal the global service.
Last reviewed May 24, 2026
Side by side
Modifier 26
Professional component — the physician's interpretation and written report for a diagnostic service that has both a professional and a technical component.
Modifier 26- Applies when the practice owns only the physician's interpretation, not the equipment.
- Common on imaging (radiology), cardiology testing, pathology.
Modifier TC
Technical component — the equipment, staff, supplies, and overhead for a diagnostic service. No physician interpretation is included.
Modifier TC- Applies when a facility owns the equipment but a separate provider reads.
- Hospital outpatient departments billing the technical portion of imaging is the canonical example.
When to use Modifier 26
- A radiologist reads a CT scan performed at a hospital and bills only their interpretation.
- A pathologist signs out a slide that was prepared in a hospital lab.
When to use Modifier TC
- A free-standing imaging center performs an MRI and the radiologist who reads it bills separately under 26.
- An IDTF performs a Holter monitor; the reading cardiologist bills the interpretation under 26.
Common mistakes
- Billing global (no modifier) when the practice does not own the equipment or did not employ the reader.
- Stacking 26 and TC on the same line by the same biller — they should be on separate claims by different entities.
- Forgetting that not every CPT code is splittable. Check the PC/TC indicator in the MPFS file.
Sources
- CMS — Medicare Claims Processing Manual Ch. 12 (§30.6)https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/Downloads/clm104c12.pdf
- CMS — MPFS PC/TC Indicators (RVU file)https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/fee-schedules/physician/pfs-relative-value-files
Related
Check the PC/TC indicator in Ask D3
Open ask d3 →D3rx is a healthcare-billing and compliance research aid maintained by D3rx Inc. Articles are drafted by an LLM (Anthropic Claude) against primary HHS, OCR, CMS, eCFR, NIST, and state-regulator publications, and reviewed for restraint and source fidelity by the D3rx team.
Reviewer status: a named credentialed reviewer (CHC, CHPC, or healthcare attorney) is being engaged. Until that engagement is finalized, this page does not claim credentialed review.
This comparison is a research aid for billing and compliance staff. It does not provide legal, medical, or financial advice and does not replace counsel. References cited link to primary sources at CMS, HHS, OCR, eCFR, NIST, and the relevant payer or state regulator. Last reviewed May 24, 2026.